Spectacle case



Oct. A6, Y'

INVENTOR.v KENDmcK T PARSELI.

HIS HTTO YS Patentec ct. 6

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPECTACLE CASE Kendrick T. Parsell, Manhasset, N. Y. Application December 18, 1951, Serial No. 262,263

3 Claims.

This invention relates to spectacle cases and more particularly spectacle cases of the rigid 0r semi-rigid type provided with a hinged lid and spring means for normally maintaining the lid in closed position.

Spectacle cases of the kind above referred to are satisfactory for protecting spectacles contained therein but are inconvenient to use. Thus, if the lid is normally kept closed by simple spring means it generally requires the use of two hands to open the lid and since the spectacles must also be grasped in either inserting or removing them, the operation is inconvenient at best. Moreover, if at the time one is handling other things such as a book o1' steering wheel of an automobile the matter of opening such spectacle cases presents considerable diculty unless both hands are freed so as to give the matter of opening the spectacle case and the insertion or removal of spectacles ones undivided attention. Certain proposals have been made for making the opening of such spectacle cases more convenient but for different reasons such proposals have either been only partially effective or impractical or both. For example, some spectacle cases are equipped with a toggle arrangement or the like such that when the lid of the case is being opened a dead center is passed and the lid when fully opened will remain in open position until it is positively urged in the opposite direction. However, while such an arrangement is of some advantage in facilitating insertion or removal of spectacles while the lid is open the initial opening of the lid is not facilitated and the closing of the spectacle case requires further manual manipulation which in large measure counteracts the advantage sought to be gained.

It is an object of this invention to provide a spectacle case of the kind referred to which is such that the lid can be opened and closed again while the case is conveniently held in one hand and without changing its position in the hand. It is a further object of this invention to provide such a spectacle case which is of extremely simple construction and which can be produced at low cost. It is a further object of this invention to provide such a spectacle case wherein the operational parts are compact and do not interfere with spectacles to be protected. Another object of this invention is to provide such a spectacle case which in high degree is effective in preventing entry of dust or lint when the spectacle case is carried in ones pocket. It is a still further object of this invention to provide positive means for limiting the movement of the lid when it is being opened.

'Ihis invention is adapted for embodiment in a spectacle case comprising a casing having a base portion adapted to receive spectacles therein and a cover portion which is iixedly secured to the base portion and which is adapted to partially overlie spectacles received on the base portion, a lid member also being provided which is secured to the cover portion by longitudinally disposed hinge means and which is adapted to overlie and cover the balance of the base portion of the case and spectacles received therein. Features of this invention relate to the provision of a tongue member extending rearwardly from the lid member and from the hinge means in fixed relation to the lid and a lever arm member carried by the casing for coaction adjacent one end thereof with the tongue member for opening the lid against the force of spring means which normally maintain the lid closed, the lever arm member being actuatable for opening the lid by a thumb piece or button member that normally protrudes from the case at a point at which it can be conveniently depressed when holding the case in one hand. A further feature of this invention resides in the provision of means providing coaction of the lever arm member with the tongue member whereby means is alforded for both opening the lid and closing it again and with the provision of such lever arm in the form of a spring strip that provides the aforesaid spring means. A further feature of this invention relates to the provision of means whereby the coaction between the lever arm member and the tongue member is such as to provide stop means for limiting the extent of the opening of the lid. A further feature of this invention relates to the relation of the thumb piece or button member with respect to theV lever arm whereby even though the thumb piece or button member extends through an aperture in the case accidental entry of dust or lint into the interior of the casing is eiectively prevented.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description of a typical embodiment of this invention which is shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings. wherein Fig. l is a plan view of a spectacle case according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the spectacle case taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and on a larger scale which shows the lid of the spectacle case in its normally closed position;

Fig. 3 is a cross section similar to Fig. 2 of a portion of the spectacle case showing the position assumed by the operating parts when the lid is in open position; and

Fig. 4 is a plan detail view on the same scale as Figs. 1 and 2 showing the coaction between the tongue and lever arm portions of the operating parts as they appear when the overlying cover portion of the casing is removed.

According to the embodiment shown in the drawingsA th'espe'ctacle case is indicated generally by the reference character l and comprises the base portion Il and the cover portion l2. The base portion Il is of such size and shape as be adapted to receive conventional spectacles therein. The cover portion i2 is xedly secured to the base portion ll as by being n'ad'e? tegral part thereof as shown. It extends longitudinally of the spectacle case' fifpartiall'y'v` lies the base portion il with suicient cl'eararie.

for permitting insertion fof spectacles thereunder thatare; received inthe baseportion.V4 The lid I3 is hingedl-y secured tothe cover kportiorn- I2- ofthev casingbythe longitudinally disposed hinge means klli and is adapted; frio-beV moved; between the closed and open positions shown in- Fi-gs; 2- and 3 respectively. Ehe hinge-means may con-` veni'entlfy/be provided by short tongues te which extend alternately from` the cover portion- !2 of the casing and from the lidand which'- are bent aroundthe hinge pinUIE-. K

Extending rearwardly from the hinge means in-fi-Xed relation with the lidand' preferably integrally therewith isthe Y tongue member l'i having the o'iset curved end i8. The function of this tongue Amember as well as theoset curvedend thereof willl be apparent from the following description. v

Extending rearwardly from the' tongue member VlV and in alignment therewith is the strip i9' of spring metal suchas spring steel. This spring. stripv` underlies the cover portion l-A and' is seV cured to the casing adjacent the' end thereofremote from the tongueY member H by any suit-V` able means such as the rivets l2.4 Asthu's secured-tor the case'the'v strip i9 is normally urged' upwardly so that. it is normally maintained inthe' positionv shown inFi-g.- V2 by the" resilient. spring' action of the' strip-itself.- Adjacent' the endi of thef stripl lsf that isf in'- proximity' tel the tongue member Hf the strip. is" has the downwardly' curved portion Z'i having anv aperture 22 therein throughv which-.the tongue' member.' l'l extends and the interiorV surfaces Cifwhich are in proximate abutting reiation withrespect to the' surfacesof the tongue member it. secured to the upper surf-ace: ef the strip isf by any suitable means such as the screws Z3 ifsth'e' buttonmember 2li which passesv through the aperture 2li-the' cover portion 5 2 ofthe easing with sufficient clearance te* p'er-rriitl ui-bstructddepression-o the butten member 2-4` which pr'- vides a thumb piece.- The button member 2-4- is referredto as a thumb. piece due to thefact. that when the spectacleA case is grasped. in one-hand the' thumb naturally falls at the. positionof the'- button member' andthe button membercan. be' conveniently depressed by the thumb. However,. the button member can, of course-,be depressed by use of a iinger if desired. Since the strip i9 isnormally maintained-in the positionshown-in Fig. 25 the` button member normally protrudes substantially from. thel cover portionA l2. of the casing and is depressible by thethumb or finger. When Athe buttn` member 2iV is vdepressed against tile iid and iremof speetaies" ampl'efrconi for their being moved from the posisenting a part adjacent one end thereof that elective to depress the tongue member l1 and thereby causes the lid to open until the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 3. When the parts have been moved to this position it is to benoted that the curved portion I8 at the end of the tongue member l1 engages the end of thev strip I9 on the far side of the aperture 22 thereby providing st'or means limits the extent'- to'x which theliid |53; may bei opened and which like-- wise effectively prevents excessive depression of tot the strip I9 which otherwise might come in con-4 tact with spectacles within the casing.

In this connection it is to be noted that the tongue mem-- beil HY andthefstrip I8 are centrally located and as so located are in the region between the lenses Y the casing where there is tion shown in Fig. 2 t the position shown in Figs 3;- Morecve/r'-,I it is Vtofbe noted that the mechanicalcooperationofthe-parts permits such-v cor-npaetness that the lid can be opened wide for convenience in'use'w-i-thout their extending to arr excessive extent into the interior ofthe spectacle caseg,A thereby avoiding 4any inter-terencewith spectacles within-.the case. Moreover, the stopmea-nsabove'V described ispreferably employed.'- andfisadaptedto preventl any undue depression of the parts in use.-

Ater thelid has: been opened as by press-ing; the thumb against the button` member 2li' so as toi cause the partsto a's'su-rneu the position shown. in Fig'.- 3', all that is required to close thelid again: is to relieve thek pressure on the' button meinber- 24 thus permitting the resilient torce of the spring strip it2 toJ exert pressure on: the under sideAV iA the` tongue member l1 for positively closing the. lidi andi holding the lid' in normally closed. position'.-

' the spectacle caseinvention. is' believed to be apparent from the fo 'g description.. the* spectael'case is picked up, and it mak-'esno dif'- fer-eiice whether with: the rig-ht or'. left hand, 'anda when it is held in one e use ci;

hand the thumb normally fails-where-tiie putten member is rotated. 'rh while the spectacle case isi still held inone ha d the iid can be opened wide mer-'ely by esserti minierateA pressurewitn the The other liandca tlius be: left free; to' insert or rerno'vethe s'pfecta'ces and this has been der-iethed ii'dwill" snap shutagain autcmaticaiiy merely lby release-of' the thumb pressureY onthe button while still holding the case in only one hand'.

'Another feature of'practical utility of the'SI-i" tacl'e ease of this invention' isthat the means fr pni'ng and` closingtire iiddo-es not detract from the' eiectivenes'sof the" ease preventingacce'ss ofidiis'tojr lint. Thusaccording tothe preferredctns'truction shown' drawings ne sp' strip Isis er substantially greater lateral; sa than tetten 2t and' tite entre ffttrifegii Winer apron-lues 'formed soasto conform. to theurrderjsurace @fthe 'sever porties j'z'fof. the.. casing.V Bysucii eofstnictibn and relative 'eenngufatien the resilient fori c in Herent tiiespnng strip is nermaiiy maintains the upper surrace: thereof' snug' pressnre ccm tactwitii the. under surface @fthe ester @einen rzftiiat surrounds aperturezt thereby enea tively-` preventing any access of dust or lint iii'to the casing..

i.In spectacle cases having a iid of the hindi-ilus'- tr'ate'd according tothe embodiment shownv in theprac'tice to small coil springs which normally exert force for maintaining the lid closed and such springs have been indicated by the reference characters 26 in Fig. l. Such springs may if desired be retained according to this invention for the purpose of supplementing the action of the spring strip IS in normally maintaining the lid in closed position. However, it is normally preferable to omit the springs 26 so as to reduce cost and to rely for spring means only on the spring strip I9, thereby replacing the coil springs with the inexpensive spring strip while at the same time realizing the features of lutility and advantage according to this invention. However, if spring means such as the springs 26 are retained these springs can constitute the principal or sole spring means for maintaining the lid in closed position and in such case it would not be necessary for the strip I9 to possess resilient spring' properties, the strip I9 merely functioning as a lever arm that is actuatable responsive to pressure applied to the button member 24 for opening and closing the lid. Moreover, in such case it would not be necessary for the end of the strip I9 to contain the aperture 22 and the end of the strip I9 could merely be adapted to contact the upper surface of the tongue member I1.

While a specific preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described it is to be understood that this has been done merely for illustrative purposes and that the particular form shown can be varied in accordance with the principles herein disclosed. For example, the strip I9 may assume diiierent configurations for functioning as a lever arm and preferably also as spring means. Moreover, it is not essential to employ a separate button member, for the strip I9 can if desired be deformed so that a portion thereof will protrude through aperture means in the cover portion of the casing so as to function as a thumb piece, thereby saving the cost of a separately manufactured button member that has to be secured to the strip.

In addition to the utility and improved convenience afforded by the spectacle case of this invention further advantages result from its extremely low cost. Thus, the cost of the casing and the lid is virtually the same as the corresponding parts of a conventional spectacle case for the parts are essentially the same except that one of the hinge forming tongues along the margin of the lid is merely made a little longer and is extended rearwardly instead of being bent about the hinge pin. Moreover, the spring strip I9 is a very inexpensive part to produce and even the low cost of this strip can be compensated for by elimination of other spring means such as the springs 26 which are normally employed in conventional spectacle cases. In addition the assembly of the parts merely involves the securement of one end of the spring strip I9 to the casing and the cost of this operation is offset as compared with a conventional spectacle case by eliminating the operation of putting the spring means 26 in position. It is thus seen that a spectacle case which is greatly improved from the standpoint of convenience and increased facility of manual operation has been afforded according to this invention by extremely economical means.

I claim:

1. A spectacle case comprising a casing having a base portion adapted to receive spectacles thereon and a cover portion iixedly secured to said base portion in longitudinal relation thereto which partially overlies said base portion in spaced relation thereto for inserting thereunder a portion of spectacles received on said base portion, a lid which is hingedly secured by longitudinally disposed hinge means to said cover portion of said casing and which is adapted to overlie the balance of said base portion and complete the coverage of spectacles received on said base portion, a tongue member` extending rearwardly from said lid and from said hinge means in xed relation to said lid, a resilient spring strip extending rearwardly from said tongue member having aperture means adjacent one end thereof penetrated by said tongue member in slidable relation thereto and secured adjacent the other end thereof to said casing so as to normally urge said apertured end thereof and said tongue member resiliently upwardly for normally maintaining said lid in closed position, and a thumb piece iixedly carried by said springstrip in normally protruding relation to said cover portion of said casing and adapted to be manually depressed to depress said apertured end of said lever arm against said tongue member to open said lid.

2. A spectacle case comprising a casing having a base portion adapted to receive spectacles thereon and a cover portion integral with said base portion in longitudinal relation thereto which partially overlies said base portion in spaced relation thereto for inserting thereunder a portion of spectacles received on said base portion, a lid which is hingedly secured by longitudinally disposed hinge means to said cover portion of said casing and which is adapted to overlie the balance of said base portion and complete the coverage of spectacles received on said .base portion, a tongue member integral with said lid extending rearwardly from said lid and from said hinge means at approximately the mid point of the overall length of said case, a resilient spring strip extending rearwardly from said tongue member having aperture means adjacent one end thereof penetrated by said tongue member and secured adjacent the other end thereof to said casing so as to normally urge said aperture end thereof and said tongue member resiliently upwardly for normally maintaining said lid in closed position, and a button member secured to said spring strip and extending through an aperture in said cover portion of the casing so as to normally protrude substantially therefrom for permitting depression thereof so as to depress said spring strip and said tongue member to open said lid, said tongue member being provided with an offset portion adapted to coact with end of said spring strip adjacent said aperture therein for limiting the extent of the depression of said spring strip and the extent of the opening of said lid.

3. A spectacle case according to claim 2 wherein a portion of the surface of said spring strip adjacent said button member normally abuts the under surface of said cover portion of said casing surrounding said aperture in said cover portion of said casing thereby preventing access of dust into the interior of said casing about said button member.

KENDRICK T. PARSELL.

Country Date` Number Great Britain 1884 

